Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-07-16
OF GREAT INTEREST.
DIR. J. ID. Lisie Furnishes an Interesting
Paper Upon Aluminium.


DIR. y. ID. Liste Furnishes aR lnterestnl
Paper Upon Aluminium.
The subject of the new metal. aluminium
has become of great interest in Springfield
In the last few weeks, since local capitalist
have taken up the subject, and the follow
lowing article. therefore, from the pen o.
D.. J. ID. Lsle, of this city, who is one o.
Springheld's mot studious and accom-
plished chemists. will be read with much
much pleasure:
ALUMINIUM.
The notice our local press has taken
lately of .rhe new material, or aluminium,
has caused 50 much inquiry that l have
undertaken to present this sketch:
Aluminium, like all the elements, has its
routance; its history begins with Loyoisier,
the Great French chemist, the father OF
modern chemistry, who conceived the ides
that something in our atmosphere, united
with certain elements and disguised them:
by taking this something (which Is oxy-
gem away from the element the elements
true character would be revealed. Armed
with this theory Lsvoisier set to work, but
In 1874, fore making any progress, he
=
cloak of LAyoisier fell upon the shoulders
Of Sir Humphrey Davy, who.
with his powerful battery. tortured
nature for the secret OF her metallic basis
Aluminia (the oxide of aluminium, or
aluminium rust. resisted all his endeavors.
Ovisted, q Dane, and BerziliuS, q Swedish
chemist convinced Of the theory OF La
vOisier aud the prediction OF Sir Humphrey
Davy, in 1896. attempted 10 Isolate the
metal. but negiecting to exclude the atmos-
pheric air. failed. IL was reserved for
Wohier, the eminent German chemist, IN
1897. to complete the work and produce
brilliant bead of pure aluminium. AT last
the secret was revealed, the first step taken:
yet thirty years WAS to elapse before II
could be put upon the market The EN-
peror Napoleon Ill. was so impressed with
the Importance OF this metal aud its future
use ia construction of cannon and arna-
ment, that he employed the brilliant chem
ist. Henry ST. Clair DE Vile, who. after
four years of unremitting labor, presented
his sire with two bars Of this beautiful
metal. Ii WAS put upon the market at 81
per ounce. The first articles constructed
Of il were the eagles surmounting the
standard OF the French army. By the per
fection Of processes its cost has been re-
duced from SSa per pound to $1,000 to 81,
and today il is claimed To be made at the
price of only Is cents pound.
The metal itself Is Of the color of silver,
and when polished does not tarnish. II is
next to the diamond in hardness. When
wire drawn will stand . strain OF l2s. 900
pounds, as compared with 40. 900 pounds
for steel. Under all conditions it may
be counted upon 10 stand
strain Of 100. 900 pounds.
Ii is one of the lightest lin weight metals
known, being four times lighter than iron,
six times lighter than lead and ten times
lighter than gold In fact, il is a5ant the |
weight Of glass. Ii can be rolled into leaves |
almost as thin as gold. When cast into |
bars and struck il emits musical sound, u
being the most sonorous metal known. II
alloys with most of the metals, and with |
copper forms beautiful yellow, unchange- |
able, gold-like bronze, which is So tough |
and strong that knives, axes and all cutting |
instruments may be made and will hold |
their edge as well rs the best tempered |
steel. The director Of the stamp depart |
ment in the Paris pOstoffice says tina: la0.-
900 blows will exhaust the usefulness of the |
cushion OF the stamp machine, and this
number OF blows Is given in day. but
when aluminium bronze was substituted il |
was unaffected after four months use. The /
melting point Of aluminium is I 800 degrees
F.. about 600 degrees +. less than iron. Ii
is next 70 annea.ed copper in conducting
OF everything in, on and above this earth |
oxygen furnishes the largest per cent, sill |
con next, and aluminium the third Aiumi |
MUM is found in combination with oxygen |
and silicon everywhere in the crust of the
N s.f ~ r.